When misery doesn't love company

My Sept. 15 Quay County Sun article was titled, “When misery loves company.” While the term usually means that people feeling down want to be around others who also are depressed for mutual consolation, another meaning is that when we’re miserable, we want others to also be miserable (e.g., “if I’m not happy, nobody’s going to be happy”).

In that article, I listed many causes of misery mentioned in the Bible, but sin is the most common cause of misery in this life and through separation from God for eternity (Genesis 3:1-24; Romans 3:10-18, 23; 6:23). Therefore, Christians are to help others overcome and prevent sin and the misery it causes (Hebrews 3:12-14; Galatians 6:1-2; James 5:16; Proverbs 28:13-14).

While misery will usually love company, there eventually will come a time for eternity that misery will not want company. In the account of the rich man and Lazarus, we find the rich man pleads that someone will warn his brothers so they wouldn’t come to the place of misery where he knows he’s stuck for eternity (Luke 16:19-31). When people learn what real misery is, they don’t want anyone else to experience it! Possibly, for the first time ever, they learn and begin expressing the true love of God — that no one should face any level of suffering (John 3:16-17; 2 Peter 3:8-15; 1 John 4:7-12). Jesus suffered the punishment for the sins of all the world so no individual would have to suffer eternally for their own sins (1 John 2:1-2).

Usually, when we think of sin, the heinous crimes are on our mind — murder, theft, etc., but the sinful nature includes greed, envy and the like (Galatians 5:16-21; Colossians 3:5-10). When the rich man was in torment, Abraham didn’t mention any of what we consider heinous sins; he simply stated the rich man enjoyed the comforts of life while Lazarus did not. We’re expected to use any God-given ability or resource we have to help others, even if it is just a cup of water (Mark 9:41). Jesus takes it personally when we have the ability to provide comfort but don’t (Luke 12:16-21; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; Ephesians 4:28: James 1:27; 4:17). That was the rich man’s heinous sin — disobedience to the first and second greatest commands because he had no concern for the needs of others (Mark 12:28-33; 1 John 3:4-18).

Are you providing comfort to those in misery in this life so you can avoid the place where misery will not love company? Remember, times of refreshing (comfort) come to us from God when we repent and turn to him to receive forgiveness and the Spirit of his Son Jesus (Acts 2:38-39; 3:19-20; Galatians 3:16-4:7; Romans 6:3-10; 8:9-17).

Then, we also can begin producing the fruit of the Spirit, including the love of God toward others (Galatians 5:22-25). Show God’s love to others now so you won’t be among those who finally realize God’s love while stuck in misery for eternity!

Leonard Lauriault is a member of the Church of Christ in Logan who writes about faith for the Quay County Sun. Contact him at [email protected].